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ensembles

Extending Concerts: #StCeciliasDay Project

As part of my research and teaching, I explore possibilities of applying principles of digital and participatory culture in connection with concerts and events. How might we enhance or expand arts participation with concerts? #StCeciliasDay Project This semester, our Digital and Participatory Culture in Music course is serving as a design team in collaboration with colleagues in the ASU school of music to extend a St. Cecilia’s Day concert (taking place on Nov. 22) with participatory musical engagement and learning opportunities.… Read More »Extending Concerts: #StCeciliasDay Project

Multimedia, Intermedia, Music, Media Arts, and evolving curricula: Robert Black’s Possessed Project

Throughout the years I’ve found Bang on A Can to be an inspiration for music education. Whether their flexible ensemble structures, their hyphenated musicianship in terms of many members being both composers and performers, their people’s commissioning fund and a broad range of other initiatives, music educators could learn a lot from Bang on a Can’s forward thinking. Most recently the Bang on a Can All-Stars founding member and bassist Robert Black is launching a project entitled Possessed that combines… Read More »Multimedia, Intermedia, Music, Media Arts, and evolving curricula: Robert Black’s Possessed Project

The [fill in the blank] ensemble reinvented?

The New York Times has an interesting article, titled “The String Quartet Reinvented,” about David Harrington’s (violinist and founder of the Kronos Quartet) role in broadening the stylistic oeuvre of string quartets and reinventing this type of ensemble. In addition to reminding me that some of my favorite groups are chamber groups and small ensembles such as the Kronos Quartet, Ethel, SO Percussion, and the many configurations of Bang on a Can, the article provoked a resurfacing of a question… Read More »The [fill in the blank] ensemble reinvented?

Thank you Ben Folds & Shawn Stockman! "The Sing Off" and music education…

I became intrigued with the new reality show “The Sing Off” after hearing about the A Capella focused show on NPR’s Here & Now. However you feel about the groups on the show or the contemporary A Capella scene in general, this show offers tremendous potential for creative music educators and our students. In particular Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman, two of the three “judges” on the show, proved tonight that intelligent, specific, articulate, and insightful feedback can work on… Read More »Thank you Ben Folds & Shawn Stockman! "The Sing Off" and music education…

Playing the Laptop

Does anyone have any students playing the laptop in school music ensembles? It would be interesting to find out how many programs include the use of the laptop as instrument. With more and more musicians such as Ikue Mori using the laptop as their primary instrument it only makes sense to start thinking about how to include it in our music programs. Just as any other instrument, performing the laptop live, requires skills and knowledge that can be developed over… Read More »Playing the Laptop